Electric control system for clocks



Sept. 1, 1936. s. HARRISON ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CLOCKS Filed April 19, 1934 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFWE ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CLOCKS New York Application April 1'9, 1934, Serial No. 721,258

4 Claims.

This invention relates to electric control systems and more particularly to controlling electric impulse driven clock systems.

The present invention is directed to actuation of secondary clocks under the control of a master clock by the agency of electrical energy, and hasfor its object to utilize for these purposes electrical energy derived from an alternating current source.

Another object resides in producing an electrically operated clock system without involving the use of magnetic switches or relays.

Another object resides in the provision of a novel impulse regulator employing the transformer regulation principle.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawing, and ti inven tion also constitutes certain n w novel item tures of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

l is a view showing the pertinent garts of the impulse regulator.

Fig. 2 is a Wiring diagram of a cloclr system including the master clock minute contacts.

Referring to Fig. 2; connected to a suitable source of alternating current indicated at 5 me contacts the usual minute impulse contacts of a master clock. The master clock in its general details may be of any desired form. For example, it may he that shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,390,018. The master clock includes the usual train adapted to drive the minute arbor 3 which makes one revolution per hour, and is proidded with the usual minute impulse contacts 5 "which are controlled in the usual Way from a minute 4 or otherwise as is the custom in clocks of this sort.

Connected to the alternating current lines '6 and i are suitable coils 8, 8 serving as primer coils of the impulse regulator 9 (Fig. 1). A sul able solenoid coil 10 is included in the current supply circuit and has one terminal connected to the contacts 5 and the other terminal connected to line '5. Suitable separate coils H, H and l2, l2 connected in series serve as the secondary of the impulse regulator 9 and are so arranged that the number of turns in the coils H, l l is equal to the number of turns in coils i2, i2 and that the coils as designated l2, l2 are in a fixed position while coils I l, H are adapted to be rotated about an' axis common to both the primary and secondary coils. Referring to Fig. l, a tubular frame 9:: is provided having cores 20, 26 fixed to with the tubular walls of the frame 911. and adjacent thereto. This mounting of the said coils is similar to the manner of mounting motor and generator coils which is well known in the art. In addition to the aforementioned primary coils, fixed insulated secondary induced coils l2, 22 are mounted on the cores 29, Ell adjacent to the primary coils 3, 3 and concentric thereto. Additional induced secondary coils M, H are fixedly mounted on the core l The core is fixed to a shaft 53 the axis of which coincides with the axis of the tubular member This shaft i3 is suitably journaled in end frame members (not shown) so that the core i l and the cons ll, ll fixed thereto may be rotated within the tubular frame At one end of the shaft 23 is fastened a pinion l5 adapted to engage a rack H5 suitably attached to the plunger of solenoid it, so that r energizaticn of the coil of solenoid the plunger is attracted by the exertion of the magnetic force of the solenoid coil and the attached rack is urged upwardly as viewed in Figure 1 to rotate shaft through the pinion fastened thereto. It is obvious that other forms of rotating shaft it are suggested, such as a motor energized in a manner similar to the solenoid, and are intended to be included in the scope or" this invention.

Suitably attached to the lower end of reel; it is a spring ll adapted to bias the rack down- Wardly. Upon energization of the solenoid it the rack it is lifted against the action of said spring ii and upon deenergization of the solenoid iii, the power stored in the spring ll draws the rack to downwardly to its normal and original position.

As mentioned previously the primary coils 8, 3

and coils l2, 42 of the secondary are in a fixed position so that the electrical characteristics of the said coils are those of a standard transformer, in which, both the value and the direction of the voltage induced in the secondary windings are definite and fixed with respect to the value and direction oi the voltage applied to the primary winding. The movable coils l it of the secondary are rotated by shaft I3 and adapted so that coils it may be rotated through degrees. With this type of construction and considering only the relationship of the characteristics of the movable half of the secondary, namely coils II, II and the fixed primary .coils 8, 8 it is seen that in a position as indicated in Figure 1, all the magnetic flux produced by the primary coils 8, 8 passes through the secondary coils II, II and the voltage induced in the secondary winding is equal to the primary coil voltage divided by the ratio of the primary coil turns to the secondary coil turns. As the secondarycore l4 and attached coils Ii, II are the core reaches beyond the position where the said coils are at right angles, and upon continued rotation of the core M in the same direction increases the amount of the 'primary flux threading through the secondary coils II, II but it is now in the opposite direction and so reverses the direction of the voltage induced in the secondary coils H, H.

It has been disclosed hereinbefore that the secondary coils l2, l2 are fixedly mounted with respect to the secondary coils H, II and-connected in series therewith and has an equal number of turns as the turns in coils II, I I furthermore, assume that the ratio of the primary coils 8, 8 and the two secondary coils II, II and l2, l2 have a ratio of 1:1, it is then seen that when the coils are in position as shown in Figure 1 so that the induced voltages in the secondary coils are in the same direction and having the said coil ratio the voltage induced in the secondary is equal approximately to the primary voltage. The voltages induced in the secondary coils are equal, that is the voltage induced in coils II, II is equal to the voltage-induced in coils l2, l2. When the secondary coils II, II are rotated through 18(5 degrees, it was explained how the same voltage value is induced in the secondary coils II, II but in the opposite direction, and

with the secondary coils II, II and l2, 12 con-- nected in series, it is seen that the net voltage induced in the secondary coils is approximately zero, since half of the voltage value induced in coils II, II is in one direction and opposite to 'the direction of the same voltage value induced in one position and practically a zero voltage induced when the rotor is rotated through 180 from its former said position. Any amount of voltage variation is possible depending on the primary and secondary coil ratios and depending on the amount of rotation of the secondary coils II, II. In the preferred embodiment disclosed the secondary winding is shown to be movable, but it is obvious'the same voltage relationship may be obtained by rotating the primary coils and is therefore within the scope of the present invention.

Referring to. Fig. 2 the secondary clocks l8 are of conventional form and each includes a minute arbor shaft 2| which makes one revolution per hour. This shaft is preferably advanced by means of an impulse magnet 22 which acts through the usual ratchet wheel 23 to advance the minute arbor 2| step by step each time the magnet 22 receives an impulse from the master clock. The impulse magnet 22 is shown connected to the lines connected to a rectifier l9 inthe secondary circuit of the impulse regulator 9.

The clocks may however be of the alternating current type and therefore connected directly the following manner: Closing of contacts 5 closes the circuit to solenoid I which upon energization attracts its plunger and attached rack l6 (Fig. 1) to rotate shaft l3 and attached secondary coils l I, I l 180 degrees from their normal position. While contacts 5 are open coils II, I I are in their normal position whereby the secondary coils II, II and l2, l2 are positioned so that the direction of the induced voltage in coils II, I! is opposite to the direction of the induced voltage in coils l2, l2 resulting in a zero induced voltage and thus preventing the lines to the secondary clocks to be energized so as not to advance the secondary clocks,

V Rotating coils H, II 180 degrees about their axes, caused by closing of master contacts 5, as disclosed hereinbefore causes a change of direction in their induced voltages, and since the induced voltages in the secondary coils are always in phase they are added directly to each other, so that a maximum voltage is induced in the secondary coils II, It and l2, [2 when contacts 5 are closed. When the maximum voltage is induced in the secondary circuit described the lines to the secondary clocks are adapted to be energized to cause the magnets 22 to advance the said clocks accordingly, and in this manner maintain the secondary. clocks in step with the master clock.

Opening of contacts 5 cause deenergization of solenoid I0 permitting return of rack I6 and secondary coils II, II to their normal positions by action of the spring I1, and in so doing cause the net voltage induced in the secondary circuit to be zero thus maintaining the lines to the secondary clocks deenergized until the master clock contacts 5 are again closed to advance the secondary clocks.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is'as follows:

1. In an electrical control system for clocks, the combination of a master clock, a primary inducing member, a plurality of induced members, a source of alternating current supply for energizing said members, means adapted to position one of the induced members differentially with respect to another induced member so that the induced electro-motive forces therein are in-- duced either in the same direction or opposite directions, a secondary clock, means controlled by the master clock to cause said positioning means to select a position at a predetermined time so that the induced electro-motive forces in the said induced members are induced in the nating current power supply for operating said secondary clocks, and means operated by said niaster clock for controlling the flow of current to said secondary clocks including a cylindrical tubular frame having fixed primary inducing members fixed within said frame and concentric with the walls thereof, fixed secondary induced members adjacent said primary members and concentric therewith, and additional rotatable secondary induced members adapted to be rotated concentrically within said fixed secondary induced members.

3. In an electrically operated clock system including a source of alternating current supply, a fixed primary inducing member permanently connected to said alternating current supply,

fixed and movable secondary induced members.

bers, comprising advancing means in each secondary controlled by the operation of said movable secondary member to advance said secondary clocks periodically in synchronism with said time controlled means.

4. An electrically operated clock system, including a master clock and one or more secondary clocks, said secondary clocks including advancing means in each clock for advancing the same, means controlled by the master clock for operating said advancing means and a circuit connecting said advancing means and master clock controlled means, said last named means including secondary induced coils mounted on a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, fixed primary inducing and secondary induced coils inductively coupled and concentrically mounted with respect to each other and to said movable coils, a pinion gear fixed to said shaft and a rack cooperating therewith, an electromagnet for periodically reciprocating said rack to rotate the movable secondary coil relative to said fixed coil whereby an induced current impulse may be transmitted to the advancing means upon each rotation of said secondary coil to efiect advance of said secondary clocks. LAURENCE S. HARRISON. 

